Officials of the NSCDC currently stationed at the Niger Delta areas ridden with militant groups have arrested large numbers of miscreants sabotaging oil production in the country.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Rivers Command, said on Friday it arrested 78 oil pipeline vandals between January and March.
The State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr. Lawan Haruna, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt, said 53 of the suspects had been arraigned in court.
He said seven suspects have been released as the products they were arrested for are “genuine” petroleum products. He noted that pipeline vandalism was on the decrease in the state compared with the figure during the same period in 2016.
Haruna attributed the reduction to the aggressive efforts of the command, the campaign mounted against vandalism and the collaboration with other security agencies.
He advised the youths not to allow themselves to be used for criminal activities.
“We should not allow ourselves to be used by some people to do illegal businesses,’’ the commandant said.